Winterizing the Diesel

[Bob S]

I just purchased a 1995 C30. My first boat and am looking forward to summer. I had it hauled to my house and I'm winterizing her this weekend. I bought West Marine diesel fuel EZ-Store. Should I store her with a full tank as instructed on this product?Bob

 

[Dean5735]

I always fill er up

I fill the tank and add stabil as formula on bottle. On my 85C30 I also winterize the engine & exhaust by removing the hose clamp on the thru hull for fresh water pick up, then stick the hose in a bottle of anti-freeze, the water pump will pick it up and suck the bottle dry, I use 2 gallons, just switch the hose real quick or pour both in a bucket. When they are empty shut off engine as soon as they are empty, need someone at the controls and someone at the engine. This will keep everything ready for spring. Remember in the spring when you fire it up it will pump out all that antifreeze into the yard or whereever. I have a garden hose juryrigged to connect the that same water pick up so I can run the diesel all I want, right in my yard. Good luck.Dean www.blowinganddrifting@yahoo.com

 

[Bob S]

Thanks

Thanks for the advise.

 

[Rob]

Good Idea to fill it up

I have a Catalina 30 as well with a raw water cooled Yanmar. I leave my tank almost full for the winter. If its Diesel - you do not need any winter-stability additives in the fuel. Diesel is more like an oil - it will keep with no problem. You need to just make sure the water stays out of it and by keeping the tank almost to the full mark will reduce condensation.Rob

 

[Big Windy]

Winter

Fill the tank with fuel, add Sta-Bil from Wally World and add a biocide in case some fungus might be in there.

 

[Joe Refkin]

Cant use stabil any more

Fill it up!!!!! Air gaps allow for condensation. Microbes will live in the water that collects and feed off the desiel. When you motor through some chop or high waves, the bio crud will shake up and then plug your filters.There is a product that will stabilize the fuel for long term. It disperses any water and improves lubrication that the new low sulfer fuels tend to reduce.The product is called Sea Foam. You can't over used it as the engine (desiel) can run on straight Sea Foam. It cleans your injectors too.Run your engine for 10 or 15 min once you are sure the stuff is dispersed in the tank. (I waited a couple of days after I put it in). You will smell a difference for a while. Running it through the engine coats the engine for winter. No need to fog through the glow plug ports with fogging oil.I have heard a lot of good things about it online. I talked with the manufacturer also.I used to use Stabil, but if you read the new bottles, it is no longer good for desiel, just gasonline. I also use a biocide with every fill up. I just changed my filters after 5 seasons on the old ones with absolutely (knock on wood) no problems.